Native Plants

Plant Database

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Burk, Ken

Sesbania herbacea

Sesbania herbacea (Mill.) McVaugh

Coffeeweed, Bigpod Sesbania

Fabaceae (Pea Family)

Synonym(s): Darwinia exaltata, Sesban exaltatus, Sesbania exaltata, Sesbania macrocarpa

USDA Symbol: sehe8

USDA Native Status: L48 (N), CAN (W)

From the Image Gallery

44 photo(s) available in the Image Gallery

Plant Characteristics

Duration: Annual
Habit: Subshrub
Leaf Arrangement: Alternate
Fruit Type: Legume
Size Notes: Up to about 12 feet tall.

Bloom Information

Bloom Color: Red , Orange , Yellow , Purple
Bloom Time: Jun , Jul , Aug , Sep , Oct , Nov

Distribution

USA: AL , AR , AZ , CA , FL , GA , IL , KS , KY , LA , MA , MD , MO , MS , NC , NY , OK , PA , SC , TN , TX , VA

National Wetland Indicator Status

Region:	AGCP	AK	AW	CB	EMP	GP	HI	MW	NCNE	WMVE
Status:	FACW		FACW		FAC	FACW		FACW	FACW	FACW

This information is derived from: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. (2023). 2022 National Wetland Plant List, version 3.6. U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Vicksburg, MS. https://wetland-plants.usace.army.mil/. Click here for map of regions.

Herbarium Specimen(s)

NPSOT 0724 Collected Aug 14, 1992 in Bexar County by Harry Cliffe

1 specimen(s) available in the Digital Herbarium

Wildflower Center Seed Bank

LBJWC-MM-716 Collected 2010-07-14 in Hays County by Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center

1 collection(s) available in the Wildflower Center Seed Bank

Web Reference

Webref 30 - Calflora (2018) Calflora
Webref 38 - Flora of North America (2019) Missouri Botanical Garden, St. Louis, MO & Harvard University Herbaria, Cambridge, MA.
Webref 23 - Southwest Environmental Information Network (2009) SEINet - Arizona Chapter

Additional resources

USDA: Find Sesbania herbacea in USDA Plants
FNA: Find Sesbania herbacea in the Flora of North America (if available)
Google: Search Google for Sesbania herbacea

Metadata

Record Modified: 2026-07-02
Research By: TWC Staff

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